Helminths in organ transplantation

Area of Science:

• Medical Science
• Infectious Diseases
• Transplant Medicine

Background:

• Organ transplantation is a common treatment for various conditions.
• Increased global travel and immunosuppression raise the risk of infections post-transplant.
• Helminth infections pose a significant, often overlooked, threat in transplant recipients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and catalogue clinically relevant helminthiases associated with organ transplantation.
• To identify transmission routes, risk factors, symptoms, and management strategies for helminth infections in transplant patients.
• To highlight the importance of considering helminths in the peritransplant period.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of reported helminth infections in transplant recipients.
• Cataloguing of helminthiases across various transplant types (kidney, liver, heart, lung, etc.) and blood transfusions.
• Analysis of risk factors, clinical presentations, and current diagnostic and treatment options.

Main Results:

• Helminthiasis has been documented in kidney, liver, bowel, pancreas, heart, lung, and stem-cell transplant recipients, as well as after blood transfusion.
• Specific helminths, their transmission pathways (transplantation-mediated, reactivation, de novo), and associated risk factors were identified.
• Clinical manifestations, diagnostic challenges, and therapeutic interventions for each helminthiasis were detailed.

Conclusions:

• Helminths represent a significant, albeit infrequent, cause of severe morbidity after organ transplantation.
• Increased awareness and consideration of helminth infections are crucial for effective patient management during organ implantation.
• Helminth-derived products offer potential future applications in inducing immunological tolerance.